Staff Correspondent:

Two railway tracks run side by side for trains coming and going in both directions. A youth was standing on one track, filming a moving train on the adjacent line. Suddenly, another train came along the track he was standing on, hitting and killing him in a tragic accident.

The incident took place in the Kuril Bishwa Road area of the capital on 2 May. The deceased was identified as Ishtiaque Ahmed, an undergraduate student at Rajshahi University. He had come to visit his aunt in Khilkhet.

The accident occurred in front of Ishtiaque’s friend, Mustafizur Rahman. “Ishtiaque was standing on the railway track filming a video when suddenly I saw a train approaching. I was shouting repeatedly to warn, but Ishtiaque did not hear. He died on the spot.”

This is one of many instances of casualties caused by carelessness while using railway tracks. Such incidents recur frequently. Railway Police figures show a total of 9,237 people have died due to careless and negligent use of railway tracks, with 3,140 casualties reported in the last three years alone. This means, on average, three people have been killed each day in train-related accidents during this period.

No one is held accountable in cases of death from train accidents. According to the Railway Act-1890, it is illegal to use railway tracks without permission. That’s why, the victim is held accountable in cases of death from train accidents.

Railway tracks are not for public use officially, and Section 144 is imposed around the clock to enforce this. If an accident occurs due to unlawful entry onto the railway tracks, it is considered an ‘unnatural death,’ and no one is held responsible.

Relevant railway police officials pointed out four key factors behind the deaths from train-related accidents.

First, the most number of people are killed while rushing at rail crossings, hanging out or walking along the railway tracks.

Second, there have been a significant number of reports where the victims get crushed under while walking through the railway line with their headphones on.

Third, there have numerous cases of people dying after falling from the roof of the train.

Fourth, the culture using railway tracks for suicide and criminal activities like killing.

Railway Police chief additional inspector general (AIG) Sardar Tamij Uddin Ahmed said, “On average, three people are being killed every day on railway tracks. The main reason behind this is carelessness. It’s not possible to curb the casualty rate if people are not aware.”

77pc Death For Two Reasons

According to Railway Police, in the last 10 years, as many as 7,098 people were killed solely due to attempting to cross railway tracks dangerously or sitting or walking on them. This accounts for 77 per cent of the total casualties from train related accidents.

Last year, on 11 September, Shamsur Rahman, 60 was crushed under a train while crossing the railway carelessly around 11:00 pm in the night near the Kuril Bishwa road area. He was from Faridganj of Chandpur.

Shamsur Rahman’s nephew Shakib Hasan told Prothom Alo his uncle worked as security guard at a private company near the Kuril Bishwa road area. He also lived there. He was run over by a train at the rail crossing, he said.

Meanwhile, on 4 January this year, the police recovered bodies of Nilkanta Mandal, 60, and his wife Kalpana Rani Mandal, 55, from railway tracks in the Dhalatengar area near the Dhaka-Tangail highway early morning.

Police said they lived in the Tunimagrha village of Dashakiya union in Kalihati upazila of Tangail. They went to neighbouring Rouha village to attend kirtan (A form of devotional music practiced by Hindu community). They were walking back home along the railway tracks.

Speaking regarding this, railway Dhaka superintendent of police (SP) Anwar Hossain told journalist walking along the railway or sitting on it is too risky. Many hang out with friends on the railway lines. Some people even sit on the railway tracks to cool off during summer.

“It’s really hard to imagine people are dying for these simple reasons. Unless people become more aware, it is impossible to prevent such deaths,” he added.

HEADPHONES LEADING TO DEATH

Two youths named Shakil Mia and Mojibur Rahman were killed after being run over by a train in the Rukhnaipara area of Melandaha in Jamalpur on 22 January last year. They were sitting on the railway track with headphones, listening to music. They could not hear the sound of approaching trains. A number of people get killed this way every year. There have been reports of 396 such cases over the last decade, with 112 cases last year alone.

Many also walk along the railway lines while talking over the phone, which is also a major reason for train accident-related casualties. In such an instance, Dakshinkhan police station sub-inspector (SI) KM Mansur was crushed under a train while talking over phone on 18 May this year. He did not notice the approaching train.

However, his brother Shakibul Islam suspects his brother might have been murdered. Railway police say there is no such evidence to consider the case as murder so far.

Dhaka district railway SP Anwar Hossain said, “It’s hard to notice the sound of the approaching train while walking on the railway track. If a person is wearing headphones or is talking over the phone, even the whistle may not be heard properly. Even if the locomaster notices it, there is nothing they can do as trains cannot be stopped instantly.

MOST CASES REPORTED IN DHAKA

Railway Police chief AIG Sardar Tamij Uddin Ahmed said, “The highest number of casualties on railway tracks is reported in Dhaka with the Banani-Airport stretch being considered the most dangerous. Some 93 people died after being hit by trains in this area.

The Railway Police says the five-kilometre-stretch from Banani to airport is the most accident-prone with a bend in the railway line near the Kuril Bishwa road area. As a result, a train from the opposite direction cannot be seen there. Although a number of people cross the lines through that bend, there is no footbridge in the place. Having no other way, people are forced to cross the railway lines taking high risk. Moreover, the area is adjacent to a busy highway. As a result, it is not possible to hear the sound of approaching trains there while crossing the lines or walking along the tracks.

Dhaka district Railway Police says a significant number of people are also killed or injured after being hit by trains in different parts of the city including Karwan Bazar, Khilgaon, Moghbazar, Malibagh, and Gopibagh. Bodies are frequently recovered from these areas. Besides, there have been several reports of people being run over by trains from Gazipur, Tangail, and Narsingdi.

According to railway police figures, in the four years from 2021 to 2024, some 1,763 people were killed in Dhaka after being hit by trains. The figure is 3,918 across the country in the same period. As such, one-third of the total train accident-related casualties are reported in Dhaka district. The Dhaka district railway includes Dhaka, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Gazipur, Tangail, Narsingdi and Kishoreganj.

NOBODY HELD ACCOUNTABLE

In most cases, the victims are blamed for the accident. However, experts say people are dying on railway tracks for several reasons, including unprotected rail-crossing, negligence of relevant railway officials and employees and mismanagement. Walking or sitting on railway tracks is banned by the law.

There is no precedent of taking any action against the people who are not complying with the law. The Railway Division has their separate security force. They even have jurisdiction to arrest people for breaching the law. Nevertheless, they cannot make any effective move that ensures safety on the tracks.

According to Railway Police, there are 3,111 rail-crossings across the country. Of these, 1,886 have official approvals. As such, some 1,225 – 40 per cent of the total rail crossings of the country – are unauthorised.

It is the result of the Roads and Highways and Local Government Divisions’ constructing roads on railways without any sort of approval. The railway police officials feel there is no coordination between the government agencies in this case. However, none of these officials wanted to disclose their identity.

On condition of anonymity, a Railway Police official “Unprotected railway crossings are a leading cause of death. Maintenance of rail crossings and appointment of gatemen falls under the liabilities of the railway. Besides, the Railway Division is also supposed to monitor the tracks to keep it free of people.”

The official further said the Railway Police proposed several times to set up safety barriers on either side of railway tracks, particularly in the dense areas of Dhaka, which would curb the death rate significantly.

ATTEMPTS TO COVER UP MURDERS AS ACCIDENT

On 18 February, the Railway Police recovered a beheaded body from rail lines in the Holdibari village of Parbatipur in Dinajpur.

The police later identified the person as Bharat Chandra Roy, 50. His hands were tied. Based on this, the police suspect that some miscreants killed him and left his body on the railway tracks to make it appear as an accident.

Parbatipur railway police station officer-in-charge (OC) Md Fakhrul Islam said, “It has not been possible to identify the people involved in the crime yet. Investigations are underway.”

According to Police Headquarters figures a total of 92 murder cases have been recorded in the last six and half years from January 2019 to May 2025. This year, five cases have been launched so far on murder charges.

Railway police officials say there are many instances when the body was kept on the railway tracks after killing the victim in some other places. The main motive behind this is to mislead the investigation, destroying the evidence and make the killing appear like an accident. Besides, there have also been reports of train passengers getting killed by the muggers.